Interviewer instructions
Column P13 - Marital status
97. Is this person single, married, windowed, divorced or separated?'
98. Persons who have never been married and children under 12 years of age should be code 1 (single).
99. People living together as man and wife and who so regard themselves should be coded 2 or 3 depending on status of marriage; that is, whether or not they have been through any civil, religious or customary ceremonies. The census is not trying to find out who is legally married and who is not. Accept the answer as it is given to you. The married persons category is divided into two (code 2 for monogamous marriage and code 3 for polygamous marriage). Probe and ascertain whether the respondent is in a monogamous or polygamous union before coding.
100. If a person is widowed at the time of Census, he or she should be coded as 'widowed' (code 4). If a person has been widowed but has since remarried, he or she should be coded as 'married'. (2 or 3 as the case may be)
101. If people think of themselves as divorced or separated, code them as such. It does not matter whether they have been to court or gone through other formalities. Accept the answer as it is given to you.
102. Accept what people say about their marital status. Do not embarrass yourself or the person by inquiring into the nature of marriage or divorce.
